Forward motion latch and lock



Jan. 26, 1965 R. M. HARRIS ETAL FORWARD MOTION LATCH AND LOCK 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 4, 1963 INVENTORS ROBERT M HARE/5 RICHARD 0.WILSON BY M W ATTORNEY Jan. 26, 1965 R. M. HARRIS ETAL 3,166,981

FORWARD MOTION LATCH AND LOCK Filed p 4, 1963 2 Sheet -s 2 w /8 l2 l4 7-"Im I 1 2/ IIIIIIIIIIII FIG. 3

| T /8 l2 II H 745.1 /6 II I I fifiiijjiiii I I I III I I- United StatesPatent 3,166,981 FORWARD MOTION LATCH AND LGQK Robert M. Harris,Minneapolis, and Richard C. Wiison,

Champlin, Minn, assignors, by mesne assignments, to

the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the NavyFiled Sept. 4, 1963, Ser. No. 3%,664 3 Claims. (Cl. S91.7)

This invention relates to missile launching systems in which a magazineis carried below the launcher arm and in which the missiles are storedin the magazine in a vertical position and transferred from the magazineto the launcher arm while in this vertical position, and moreparticularly to a forward motion latch designed to engage the missileaft shoe as it reaches the launcher arm.

In missiles of the type that are transferred from the magazine to thelauncher arm by a chain hoist or other type of mechanism, the missilemust be arrested or stopped in its movement before being ignited toinsure that sutiicient thrust is generated so that the missile willtake-off from the guide arm in flight rather than fall off the launcherarm by reason of the momentum given to the missile by the hoistingapparatus. It is, therefore, necessary that some latch be provided whichwill release the missile for flight upon the application of thrust whichis sufiicient to sustain flight.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a mechanical latchlocated in the path of the missile and adapted to be engaged by the aftshoe of the missile which will arrest the missile until sufiicientthrust is pro vided to overcome a restraining spring, which thrust willsustain the missile in flight.

It is another object of the invention to provide a forward motion latchwhich will engage the missile and which will, upon the application ofsufficient force thrust, release the missile in a quick action.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a latch andlink mechanism which will upon the application of a thrust force theretoresist motion up to a certain predetermined magnitude and which willupon the application of force above this predetermined amount actuateresilient means which will release the latch.

Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention willbecome apparent from the following detailed description of the inventionwhen considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the latch and link mechanism and showingthe path of movement of the missile;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic view showing the position of the latch and linkmechanism previous to engagement of the latch with the missile shoe;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing the latch and link mechanismat the moment the missile has started its push through motion;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIGS. 2 and 3 and shows the position of themechanism at the moment of latch release.

Referring to the drawings wherein like parts are designated by likenumbers and where only those parts of the launcher mechanism are shownwhich pertain to the invention, all other parts being omitted, the latchmechanism is mounted on the launcher arm, a plate 11 of which is shownin FIG. 1. A cylindrical housing 12 is mounted on plate 11 by bolts 13and encloses a compressible spring 14. The open end of the housing 12 iscovered by a plate 15 having a central opening 16 through which a rod 17extends. The rod 17 carries an end plate 13 which is engaged with thespring 14 and moves, to compress the spring within the cylindricalhousing 12.

Mounted on the end of rod 17 a yoke 21 connects 3,166,981 Patented Jan.26, 1965 with a compound lever 22 which is pivoted on a pin 23 carriedby structural part 24. The lever 22 has a short arm drilled to providemounting for a pin 25 on which lever 26 is mounted for partial rotation.The lever 26 is substantially L-shaped having long leg 27 and short leg28 and pivot pin 48. The short leg terminates in a portion 31 adapted toengage a stop 32 when the lever is in one extreme position.

Connected to the central pivot 48, the link 33 connects the lever 26with the crank 34 through pivot point 35. The crank is splined to theshaft 36. Latch 37 formed with a hub 38 is also splined to shaft 36 andturns with the crank 34. This latch 37 is provided with a nose portion39 adapted to be positioned in the path of a missile 41.

Movement of the missile 41 is in a direction from bottom to the top ofthe drawing as shown by the arrow in FIG. 1 and during this motion theaft shoe 42 of the missile engages the nose 39 of the latch. Thisengagement of the shoe 42 with the nose 39 of the latch holds themissile until the lock is withdrawn and sufficient thrust is built up toovercome the force exerted by the compression spring on the latchmechanism.

The latch 37 is locked in position by a lock 43 which is keyed on theshaft 44. At the time of arming and after the contact of the shoe 42with the nose 39, the shaft 44 is rotated and the dog 43 moved fromcontact with the latch. Also connected to the shaft 44 is a crank lever45. This lever is in contact with the lever 26 and is instrumental inresetting the latch.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, the latch mechanism is shownin FIG. 2 in the position of that latch at the time of engagement withthe missile shoe 42. At this point the missile is arrested and remainsin this position until the arming mechanism is actuated. The launchercould be said to be loaded.

The lever 26 is in engagement with the stop 32 at the point 31. The lock43 is shown in engagement with the latch to insure that the missilecannot be inadvertently fired. The levers 34, 33 and 26 are arranged sothat the connecting points 35, 48 and 25 are slightly beyond astraight-line position, being held from further movemerit by the stop32.

Referring particularly to FIG. 1, a hydraulically operated piston 51turns the shaft 44 by means of the rod 53, connecting link 54 and crankarm 55 to remove the lock 43 from engagement with the latch 37. Themovement of the piston 51 also releases the roller 56 from contact withthe crank lever 57 permitting the shaft 36 freedom of rotation. Themissile thrust may now move the forward latch 37. A predetermined forceon the nose 39 of latch 37 will cause link 26 to ivot on stop 32 andlift spring loaded plate 18 until points 35, 48 and 25 pass a straightin-line position. After this, the mechanism swings free and assumes theposition shown in FIG. 4.

At the moment of operation of the release piston 51, a lever 53 pivotedat 59 is moved to actuate switch 61 which indicates that a missile isarmed and ready for ignition. After firing the missile, the forwardmotion latch is returned to missile blocking position by the return ofthe release piston 51 under spring action. This return action moves thelever 58 to actuate switch 62 to indicate that the forward motion latchis in the extended position. The piston 51 under spring action moves theroller 56 against the crank lever 57 to rotate shaft 36 to return thelatch 37. It also operates crank 55 to rotate shaft 53 and return thelock 43 into locking engagement with the latch 37. During thisoperation, a lever 45 contacting the lever 26 moves the lever 26 intoengagement with the stop 32 to return the link mechanism to the positionshown in FIG. 2.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention arepossible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to beunderstood that within the scope of the appended claims the inventionmay be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

1. In a missile launching system having a missile supporting rail on alauncher arm, a forward motion latch comprising:

a latch splined to a shaft for pivotal movement and formed with a noseportion normally located in the path of movement of the missile on thelauncher arm rail;

a crank splined on the splined shaft of the latch and movable in alimited arc with movement of the latch;

a pair of levers connected to said crank and movable upon movement ofsaid crank to a straight line position and beyond said straight lineposition;

a spring biased lever connected to one of said pair of levers andmovable by movement of said pair of levers when sufiicient force isapplied to overcome the resistance of said spring, whereby the latch maybe swung from missile arresting engagement with said missile to aposition removed from the path of the missile upon sufficient forcebeing applied to said latch;

a locking means engaging said latch while in missile arresting positionand preventing movement of said latch;

hydraulically actuated means connected to said locka crank arm connectedto the piston and to the dog carrying shaft to partially rotate the dogcarrying 15 shaft and the dog upon movement of the piston and releasethe latch. t 3.'In a missile launching system, a forward motion latchaccording to claim 2 and including indicating means operated by movementof said hydraulic piston to indi- 20 cate the release of the locking dogfrom the latch.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 25 2,930,288 3/60Jonah 89l.7 3,059,542 10/62 Manz et a1. 89-l.7 3,072,018 1/63 Wilson ;Q89l.7

BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner.

30 SAMUEL W. ENGLE, Examiner.

1. IN A MISSILE LAUNCHING SYSTEM HAVING A MISSILE SUPPORTING RAIL ON ALAUNCHER ARM, A FORWARD MOTION LATCH COMPRISING: A LATCH SPLINED TO ASHAFT FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT AND FORMED WITH A NOSE PORTION NORMALLYLOCATED IN THE PATH OF MOVEMENT OF THE MISSILE ON THE LAUNCHER ARM RAIL;A CRANK SPLINED ON THE SPLINED SHAFT OF THE LATCH AND MOVABLE IN ALIMITED ARC WITH MOVEMENT OF THE LATCH; A PAIR OF LEVERS CONNECTED TOSAID CRANK AND MOVABLE UPON MOVEMENT OF SAID CRANK TO A STRAIGHT LINEPOSITION AND BEYOND SAID STRAIGHT LINE POSITION; A SPRING BIASED LEVERCONNECTED TO ONE OF SAID PAIR OF LEVERS AND MOVABLE BY MOVEMENT OF SAIDPAIR OF LEVERS WHEN SUFFICIENT FORCE IS APPLIED TO OVERCOME THERESISTANCE OF SAID SPRING, WHEREBY THE LATCH MAY BE SWUNG FROM MISSILEARRESTING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID MISSILE TO A POSITION REMOVED FROM THEPATH OF THE MISSILE UPON SUFFICIENT FORCE BEING APPLIED TO SAID LATCH; ALOCKING MEANS ENGAGING SAID LATCH WHILE IN MISSILE ARRESTING POSITIONAND PREVENTING MOVEMENT OF SAID LATCH; HYDRAULICALLY ACTUATED MEANSCONNECTED TO SAID LOCKING MEANS TO CONTROL THE MOVEMENT OF SAID LOCKINGMEANS FROM A LOCKING POSITION TO A RELEASED POSITION; MEANS CONNECTED TOSAID LOCKING MEANS AND ENGAGING SAID PAIR OF LEVERS TO RESET SAID PAIROF LEVERS UPON SAID LOCKING MEANS BEING RESET LOCKED POSITION.